Not So Studious Ravenclaws and Blood Red Lips
by Seraphina Greene
Summary: Albus Potter is mesmerized by Scorpius Malfoy's blood-red lips. They're blood-red because the boy picks, bites, and licks at them too much. Scorp is just a studious Ravenclaw. Al? Not so much. He's in it for the popularity. They want each other, and Daisy Parkinson wants what's best for Scorp. First ch. is my friend's poem, second is interp story about it. Flames are for S'mores!
1. Poem

Not So Studious Ravenclaws and Blood-Red Lips

Blood red lips and silver eyes capture his soul,

Black clad woman whisks away, sparkling green eyes and a smirk on her face,

She can't hide it, he can't fight it,

And they both know what they need.

He watches his silver-eyed beauty,

Sees the scars that cross his face,

He doesn't try to Conceal them,

His expression like the open book before the lad,

As he licks his lips in concentration,

The one who watches wants

He doesn't hide his staring,

The watched pretends not to notice,

Wants to simply finish his book.

And he does—without interruption,

But he feels those eyes on him,

And bites his lip, drawing blood.

He's well aware that people think he wears lipstick.

It's only simple misunderstanding to him.

He's not surprised, he bites his lips often enough.

He doesn't know how much the older boy enjoys this,

He doesn't intentionally turn the raven-haired boy on,

He bites his lips when he's curious or confused,

And the boy's eyes on him _is_ confusing to him,

So confusing that when he bites, he usually breaks past skin.

But he hopes someday,

To understand.


	2. Poem Interp

Not So Studious Ravenclaws and Blood-Red Lips

Blood red lips and silver eyes capture his soul,

Albus Severus Potter wasn't going to deny anything—especially not to himself.

He was held captive by Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy, the shy, studious Ravenclaw that he was—that they both were, actually. Ravenclaws, rather, not shy and studious, because surprisingly, despite him being in the Ravenclaw house, Albus Potter looked forward less to the academic side of life, and more toward the … popularity of it all.

Maybe it was because Scorpius was the first boy who didn't fall onto his knees to worship him, or maybe it was because everyone was secretly pining after Scorpius, but Albus, or "Al" as he demanded to be called, was mystified by him.

And while everyone else fawned over his silvery-blond locks and delicate face, all Al saw were those silver eyes that sparkled with emotion, and his lips. His soft, slightly plump blood-red lips that simply tantalized him.

Scorpius was simply nit-picky about his lips. He wasn't a perfectionist when it came to them, no. In fact, he was very far from it.

And yet, all of his mannerisms involved his lips. While others twirled their hair, Scorpius licked his lips. While others bit their nails or wrung their hands, Scorpius picked at his lips. The most enticing of all to Al, however, was how he bit his lips—both of them—when he was curious or confused.

So, in the common room after class hours when all the dutiful Ravenclaws went to work—Scorpius among them—the more daring students gathered around Albus, and he performed. He boasted of his many conquests and opportunities, and was willing to pose for photographs, seemingly happy to please his fans. But his heart wasn't in it, and all the while he was staring at Scorpius, or "Scorp" as he liked to call him.

He never saw Scorp's face during these times, the boy's nose stuck in a book, and it didn't encourage him—but it didn't _dis_courage him either. So he kept trying. And trying. And trying.

And nearly gave up…except for the fact that the best friend of Scorpius gave him a reason to continue.

Black clad woman whisks away, sparkling green eyes and a smirk on her face,

She, Daisy Parkinson, had a proposition for him.

Scorpius Malfoy needed someone, and he was willing to provide.

She'd warned him that he was going about this the wrong way, but Al didn't listen. He never listened to anyone. She hoped someday he'd get it, but knew, as soon as she'd seen him, that he was the perfect candidate.

She can't hide it, he can't fight it,

Daisy was truly happy that Al was making an effort, despite his poor attempts and misguided direction, and she was having difficulty keeping it from Scorpius. She knew him, and was well aware that if he knew that he was being set up, he'd never look at Albus twice ever again.

Albus, on the other hand, was struggling to simply not _snog_ the boy in front of everyone, and worried all the while why he hadn't been getting anywhere.

He didn't know why Scorp wasn't falling all over him, and Daisy seemed to glare at him every time he so much as mentioned this in passing, so he didn't bother to think of it further whenever she glanced his way.

And they both know what they need.

Al didn't know why Daisy insisted so much that Scorp needed him, but she knew he did, and he didn't desire to question her logic if it so much as meant being able to get the man of his dreams.

He did, however, know what _he_ needed. Scorpius. To hold him. To kiss him. To see that elusive, intoxicating smile.

He watches his silver-eyed beauty,

Al kept an eye on him every day. It certainly wasn't a chore, and watching Scorp helped him get to know him better.

He began to notice little things about him, like how no matter how big the book he carried he always had a new one the next evening or day, depending on the time when he saw him. He never read in class when he wasn't supposed to, and yet he always had a new tale to engross himself in. Or how when Al spoke in the evenings to his fans loud enough for Scorp to hear, he seemed to turn the pages less frequently. Maybe it was just his imagination, but it seemed to Al like he might actually sometimes be _listening_.

Sees the scars that cross his face,

When everyone came back to Hogwarts after Christmas break, the whispers traveled through the school faster than the curses, hexes, and spells that flew through the air between rivals.

Scorpius Malfoy had scars that cut deep into the flesh of is face, marring the previously unblemished pale skin.

Al tried so hard not to cry when he saw Scorp's face for quite some time, and barely succeeded.

At those moments, he'd do anything to hold him, comfort him, to promise him everything would be alright.

He doesn't try to Conceal them,

Al was mystified by this, and still is. He didn't even ask Daisy, who is bloody _brilliant_ at glamour charms, either.

All he did was get some salve from Madame Pomfrey for the burning, and go about his business, ignoring the rumors and questions alike.

Eventually, the gossip moved on to another topic, as gossip does, but Al noticed something the gossipers didn't.

Scorp didn't regard his scars as a badge of pride, or as a sense of fear. It seemed to Al as if he simply left them as they were, and seemed to silently declare, as that was his nature, that if he couldn't show his true face to the world, then he couldn't be his true self either.

His expression like the open book before the lad,

Al, despite the fact that he couldn't understand _why_ Scorp kept reacting so strangely, could tell that he was.

He seemed to switch from one side of the spectrum to the other in a heartbeat, keeping Al on his toes.

As he licks his lips in concentration,

The raven-haired boy groans as he tries not to moan, and he cannot help but smile, knowing that Scorp is deeply involved in his book, allowing him to look as much as he likes.

The one who watches wants,

He does desperately, and he can _feel_ it in his stomach, in his throat, in the back of is head…and in places he'd rather not think about, knowing that if he did, he'd have more than simply _desire_ knocking at the back door.

He doesn't hide his staring,

He doesn't have to, anyone who cares knows, and as far as Al is aware, Scorp is well-engrossed in his novel. But Scorpius does, and smiles to himself as he discretely watches back hesitantly glancing up occasionally.

The watched pretends not to notice,

He does _pretend_, but that's about all he can do. Because as much as he wants to deny it, he wants so much to _not_ notice. But it's become routine. And going against routine is like going against a brick wall for Scorpius. Not the best plan. So he tries to go back to his book, and realizes how bland the tale really is…and wishes he'd been more careful to choose his novel, for now he can't focus.

Wants to simply finish his book,

Eventually, he finds he can fall into the tale again, and inadvertently licks his lips, not bothering to look up again.

And he does—without interruption,

Because Al doesn't know he'd ever want to be, and Scorp has given up on him.

But he feels those eyes on him,

When Scorp finished the chapter he was on, he pretended to glance at the permanent time charm cast on the wall conveniently placed between Al and himself, allowing him to glance at it _and_ glance at Al. And sees him staring.

And bites his lip, drawing blood.

This excites Al more than Scorp is aware, for he's returned to his book, and is, once again, engrossed in his tale.

He's well aware that people think he wears lipstick.

Laying in bed in the dark with a heavy case of insomnia, Scorp thinks of this. And it's true. He's completely aware of this fact. It's because he bites his lips. And picks at his lips. And licks his lips. They've become so chapped that they went from peach to pink to red, leaving everyone to suspect as such.

It's only simple misunderstanding to him.

He's been teased about it in the past by the boys the supposedly 'masculine' men who are more than likely to simply denying the fact that they're bisexual, or even _gasp_ gay. He's been asked hopefully by the girls too, asking how he achieves such a perfect red shade and still pick at his lips, lick his lips, and bite his lips, as if it's some charm he uses to keep his lipstick in place. If he cared enough, he'd wear lipstick to hide his blemished and abused lips. But he doesn't.

He's not surprised, he bites his lips often enough.

He lets the ladies down as best as he can, and he simply ignores the boys, which is easy enough, he's been doing it all his life, from the harassment and the adoration from those who feel they ought to mention he's of the Malfoy line, of those who care to comment on his scars, and of course, his lips.

He doesn't know how much the older boy enjoys this,

He doesn't have a clue, and Al is mystified by this. How can you not know if someone finds the fact that you _bite__your__lips__all__the__bloody__time_ enjoyable? It drives him crazy, and he can't do anything but take care of himself under the cover of darkness and silence in the dorms.

He doesn't intentionally turn the raven-haired boy on,

Which is why, ironically enough, Al finds him that much more tempting. It drives him farther than he wants to go, but goes there anyway, unable to control himself. He has _barely_ enough control to hold himself back from completely _snogging_ and accosting him when he's like this.

He bites his lips when he's curious or confused,

And Al doesn't know this. He just knows it drives him crazy. And the more it does, the more it seems to confuse Scorp, causing an endless cycle of confusion and sexual frustration.

And the boy's eyes on him _are_ confusing,

Leaving a feeling of suppressed desperation lingering in the air as he looks around. Lost, and hopeful someone—_anyone_—will help him understand…but no one does.

So confusing that when he bites, he usually breaks past skin.

His lips have become, if possible, even more chapped, and sometimes, he has to put the salve on his lips too, they've begun to bleed on their own, especially when winter threatens to set in. He doesn't mind so much, what he really minds is the confusion.

But he hopes someday,

He begs, prays, dreams, cries, that someday, all of this will make sense, that he will be able to find what it all means. Little does he know that two someones are watching as he does this, and smile.

One of them is his best friend, Daisy, who knows that Al is getting to him. She doesn't see the other someone, and the other someone doesn't see her.

Al watches Scorp now too, and smiles wide. When he looks at Scorp as he leaves the dorms the next morning, he does something he never thought he'd do. He talks to Scorp, asks him if everything is alright, and the look Scorp gives him back is one he'll never forget, etched into his memory.

Scorp smiles brightly at him, for him alone, and tells him that everything is just fine.

And he realizes that everything is just that—just fine—because he knows that he may not get what is going on, but he will.

To understand.

When Al talks to him again, and decides to be his friend, Scorp is helpless to ask why because he knows the answer, and when Al goes as far as to ask him if he loves him, Scorp finally gets it. And bites his lip, knowing. Just knowing… what it does to his love.

THE END


End file.
